DELCOURT v. BELGIUM JUDGMENT
2
3. On 10th March 1969, the President of the Chamber instructed the
Registrar to invite the Commission to produce a number of documents
which were added to the file on 19th March 1969.
4. On 20th March 1969, the President of the Chamber ascertained the
views of the Agent of the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium
(hereinafter referred to as "the Government") and of the Delegates of the
Commission on the procedure to be followed. By an Order made the same
day he decided that the Commission should file a memorial within a timelimit expiring on 31st May 1969 and that the Government should have until
21st July 1969 for its memorial in reply. The respective memorials of the
Commission and the Government reached the Registry within the timelimits allowed.
5. After having consulted, through the Registrar, the Agent of the
Government and the Delegates of the Commission, the President of the
Chamber decided, by an Order of 31st July 1969, that the oral hearings
should open on 29th September 1969.
6. On 24th September 1969, the Court held a meeting to prepare the oral
proceedings. On this occasion, it decided to invite the Agent of the
Government and the Delegates of the Commission to produce certain
documents and supplementary information which were made available to it
in the course of the public hearings.
7. The public hearings opened at Strasbourg, in the Human Rights
Building, on 29th September 1969 in the afternoon and were resumed on
30th September.
There appeared before the Court:
- for the Commission:
Mr. M. SØRENSEN,
Principal Delegate, and
MM. C. T. EUSTATHIADES and T. BALTA,
Delegates;
- for the Government:
Mr. J. DE MEYER, Professor
at Louvain University, Assessor to the Council of
State,
Agent and Counsel, assisted by
Mr. J. FAURÈS, Bâtonnier
at the Court of Cassation,
Counsel.
The Court heard the addresses and submissions of MM. Sørensen, De
Meyer and Faurès. On 30th September 1969, the Court asked the
representatives of the Government a number of questions to which they
replied on the same day. The hearings were then declared provisionally
closed on 30th September at 5.25 p.m.
8. After having deliberated in private, the Court gives the present
judgment.